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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24078940">I will never leave you behind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieStormfound/pseuds/EllieStormfound'>EllieStormfound</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Geralt takes care of him, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Being an Idiot, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Talks About Feelings, Guilty Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, M/M, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Wargs, Whump, don't worry Jaskier will be okay, jaskier gets hurt, no beta reader we die like witchers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:00:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24078940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieStormfound/pseuds/EllieStormfound</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jaskier gets injured in a fight and Geralt takes care of him:</p><p>"Geralt of Rivia, famous witcher, never screamed in a fight. It had been beaten into him at his training in Kaer Morhen ages ago. But now the battle-hardened witcher was screaming. The warg, a huge wolf-like creature had wrenched itself free of Geralt’s grip, where he had just half a second ago pinned it to the ground to deliver the deathblow. And now the massive beast was sprinting for the tree Jaskier was hiding on. "</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>490</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The fight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>CW: canon-typical violence, Jaskier gets injured by a warg (wounds on head and leg, but nothing permanent) and is unconscious for a while, Geralt blames himself for it but there will be a happy ending</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geralt of Rivia, famous witcher, never screamed in a fight. It had been beaten into him at his training in Kaer Morhen ages ago. But now the battle-hardened witcher was screaming. The warg, a huge wolf-like creature had wrenched itself free of Geralt’s grip, where he had just half a second ago pinned it to the ground to deliver the deathblow. And now the massive beast was sprinting for the tree Jaskier was hiding on. </p><p>The pure panic unravelling in the witcher as his mind calculated how fast the warg would reach the tree, how high it could jump and what the huge and needle-sharp teeth in it’s enormous jaw could do to the bard’s fragile human body made him see red. He was already chasing after the beast, trying to form his incoherent scream into a command to Jaskier to climb higher. The bard stood on the lowest branch of the thick tree, about three meters off the ground, holding onto the trunk. And Geralt knew that it was not high enough. Wargs could not climb up a tree but with enough momentum jump easily as high. But the next branches were so far above his friend, that he could not reach them in time.</p><p>Geralt had managed to shorten the distance between him and the beast only because of the injuries he had inflicted on it previously. The moment the warg jumped towards its human prey the witcher jumped as well, throwing himself forward. He got a grip in the thick fur, holding on to pull the warg to the ground with him. But he had not been quite fast enough.</p><p>The warg had managed to bury its fangs into Jaskier’s right leg, pulling all three of them down. With a massive crash they hit the ground and Geralt’s witcher senses had him pick out the sickening thud of the bard’s head hitting the floor. It was only luck that the witcher had his blade still in one hand and with strength enhanced by fear and rage he slammed it through the eye of the beast, which thankfully stilled. </p><p>Panic was still overshadowing everything else in Geralt. He jumped up, stepped over the dead beast towards his bard. The crash to the ground must have opened up the warg’s jaws, releasing Jaskier’s leg. He lay unmoving in a pile of leaves bleeding from the wound in his leg, looking painfully small. </p><p>Geralt’s own heartbeat thundered in his ears and his throat tied up with fear. He could not sense the bard’s familiar pulse, which he normally was able to from a few meters away due to his enhanced senses. As he knelt down beside Jaskier, gently laid his hand on his friend’s neck and with a rush of relieve felt a faint heartbeat. Actual tears welled up in Geralt’s eyes.</p><p>“Jaskier,” Geralt said, “can you hear me?” He got no answer. The bard lay very still. Geralt softly stroked his fingers over the bard’s head searching for injuries but thankfully finding none. He teared his gaze away from Jaskier’s unusually white face to have a look at his leg. It was bleeding, but thankfully not as bad as he had feared. Geralt let himself be busied by the familiar motions of taking care of the wound, cleaning and bandaging it. </p><p>When he had finished he sat down next to his bard, who was still unmoving and unresponsive. Geralt was sure that if he had not grabbed the warg at that moment it would have reached not just the bard’s leg but his throat, a small mercy.</p><p> </p><p>Even though Geralt did not find external injuries on Jaskier’s head, the massive thudd he had heard when it hit the ground convinced the witcher that the bard at least incurred a concussion. </p><p>The next village, the one that had commissioned him to kill the beast, was too far away to safely carry Jaskier there. With a concussion you better stay put for a while.</p><p>So they would stay here. Geralt checked again for Jaskier’s pulse. The quietness around them was unsettling. Normally after a fight Jaskier was there, filling any silence and now he lay here -  still, unmoving and deathly pale. Guilt and worry threatened to overwhelm the witcher. So he distracted himself with setting up camp.</p><p>First he dragged the massive warg carcass away. After that he got their packs from where they had thrown them into the bushes. He went to the small stream to get fresh water, gathered wood and started a fire. After he had done everything else he could think of, he placed Jaskier’s bedroll next to the bard and carefully, very carefully transferred the limb body onto it, placing Jaskier’s head on a pillow made from clothes and cover his body with a blanket. </p><p>He could hear the grugle of the small stream nearby, the rustle of the wind in the leaves and birds singing. This peaceful scenery lay in stark contrast to the jumble of emotions in the witcher’s heart. Even though they had survived the fight with the warg, his friend still lay unconscious. </p><p>Looking at his bard he wondered how he could ever have allowed for Jaskier, with his fragile and - oh so breakable human body to accompany him. And how could Geralt have been so vain as to believe he could keep him save. Geralt closed his eyes and rubbed them with the heels of his hands till he saw stars dancing behind his eyelids. He would never forgive himself for letting this happen to Jaskier. </p><p>The bard’s heartbeat was still very faint, but to Geralt’s relieve steady. It disturbed him, that he could not feel it just sitting next to him. So he gently took one of the bards hands into his, feeling his faint pulse. </p><p>This was obviously not a normal situation for the two of them. If someone got injured in a fight it was Geralt, because until now he had been able to keep the fights away from Jaskier. And normally Jaskier would clean his wounds and help to stitch him up afterwards. If he had to rescue the bard it was usually from angry spouses for - as Geralt like to call it - playing hide-the-sausage with the wrong people. </p><p>And normally when they were together in a forest like this, they would make camp on their travels and it would be Jaskier filling the silence with his chatter and songs. Now the forest sounds felt stifling to Geralt’s ears.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>Find me on tumblr <a href="https://elliestormfound.tumblr.com/">EllieStormfound</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A talking witcher</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Geralt starts to talk to the unconscious bard.</p><p>“Maybe I have to tell you really embarrassing things to get you to wake up,” the witcher said, “it would fit you quite well to just wake up at the moment when I tell you….,” he trailed off and thought for a while</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I am sorry,” he said quietly. “This should never have happened.” Without thinking his fingers started gently to stroke the back of the bard’s hand he was still holding. Even more quietly he said “It’s my fault for being so selfish keeping you around despite knowing how dangerous my life is for a human.” Geralt usually did not talk as much at once and he definitely never talked about feelings and regrets. He was not sure what drove him to it, the fear of losing Jaskier and missing the opportunity of telling him or teasing Jaskier to wake up by saying something particularly embarrassing. Maybe it was both. </p><p>So he continued to talk, like he normally never would. </p><p>“When we met for the first time,” Geralt said with a smirk, “in that stinky tavern I was convinced that you were just a narcissistic opportunist, that you only saw me as a source for new material.” </p><p>He watched the bard as he talked, checking his steady breathing and hoping for any reaction. Aside from the rise and fall of his chest the bard lay still. “But I had been travelling alone for a long time and because you were quite insistent I let you tack along, just for fun to see when you would get too scared or disgusted with me and my work.” A faint smile formed on Geralt’s face with the memory. “But then,” he said more earnestly, looking in the bard’s face, “you surprised me with your kindness and your compassion. Not just towards the elves that had captured us but also towards me.” </p><p>The witcher’s voice had gotten so soft, the last words had barely been audible. “Don’t get me wrong,” he continued louder, “I still think you are well too full of yourself and take every opportunity to benefit yourself, but you are also so generous and good hearted.” </p><p>Geralt had never formed these thoughts and feelings into words and was quite surprised to find them true. </p><p>“I would appreciate it for you to wake up now, because it has gotten embarrassing enough,” the witcher said with a small smirk. He opened the waterskin that laid next to him. “And now we try to drink something,” he said. </p><p>Very carefully the witcher slid his big hand under the bard’s head to prop it up just a bit. Jaskier’s mouth was already slightly open and Geralt placed the waterskin to his lips. The first drops of water ran out of the corners of Jaskier’s mouth down his cheek and neck. “Come now,” Gerald said to the bard, “at least try to swallow, for me.” (His cheeks grew hot as he realized what he just said and from the unexpected and improper pictures that flashed into his mind.)</p><p>With an irritated huff he clarified, “I mean a gulp of water.” As if the bard had understood him he swallowed a few drops of the cold water to Geralt’s relief. But he still did not wake.</p><p>“Maybe I have to tell you really embarrassing things to get you to wake up,” the witcher said, “it would fit you quite well to just wake up at the moment when I tell you….,” he trailed off and thought for a while.</p><p>“Okay, a few days ago you were complaining about how Valdo Marx had won the autumn-competition last year - completely undeserving you said,” the witcher began, “and if you are still interested in my opinion on this, here it comes: If you would perform just one song that was not about fucking you would easily win. And you know why,” Geralt said, eyeing his bard for any movements, “it is because of your voice.” </p><p>After a brief pause he continued, face reddening slightly, “you are way more talented, you train harder, your voice has a greater range. And it is..,” Geralt stopped for a moment, thinking about how to put his thoughts into words, “your voice has a kind of … multilayered richness to it.” </p><p>These were just observations he had made due to his enhanced witcher hearing. He was just stating facts.  </p><p>He held his breath with this confession and could have sworn that Jaskier’s hand, that he still held, moved just barely, as if to squeeze the witcher’s. </p><p>Geralt felt simultaneously hopeful and horrified if his plan of waking Jaskier up would work now. But apart from the slight hand movement he remained motionless. </p><p>“You have such a good voice, and you use it to sing lewd songs, it’s like shovelling shit with a golden spoon. Valdo Marx only won because he knew what the jury wanted to hear and give it to them, if you would pull yourself together and write just one serious song - not about me - then there would be no question who would win.” </p><p>He watched the bard, who looked smaller than usual, was as if the lack of his chatter, his singing, his constant gesturing and movement had took something away. Geralt’s heart hurt and in that moment he would have given anything to be able to listen to his voice, even if it was performing an indecent song.</p><p>So he continued, “I never told you this, but once, when I was travelling alone, I came into a tavern and there was another bard singing. He sang some of your songs and I got really offended on your behalf because he performed them so badly”, Geralt said with a weak smile.</p><p>The shadows in the forest had shifted. He must have been sitting here for quite a while now. With surprise he heard his stomach growling from hunger, so he gently laid down Jaskier’s hand and stood up.</p><p>While rummaging in their bags and preparing a soup on their fire Geralt continued on to talk to Jaskier. He talked about their travels together, about his first monster he had slain and about the people he had not been able to rescue, like Renfri, who still haunted him. He sometimes laughed and sometimes got more quiet with old regret. </p><p>And Geralt started to enjoy the talking. It was quite freeing to get some of the things off his chest that he had carried with him for so long, even though there was no one really listening. </p><p>When the soup was ready he returned to his place next to Jaskier. He felt his forehead and with concern registered a slight rise in the bards temperature. Not quite fever, but higher than usual. Carefully he lifted Jaskier’s head a bit, putting a wooden spoon filled with soup to his mouth. After gently pressing the spoon between his slightly open lips, Jaskier swallowed a few sips from the soup. It was important that the bard had enough strength to heal. Geralt was able to feed half a bowl of soup to his friend and then ate the rest himself. </p><p>It had been a cloudy day. Nonetheless Geralt was sure that it would not rain and that the cloud cover would prevent the night from getting too cold. He placed his bedroll next to Jaskier so he would be instantly at the bard's side if something changed overnight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>Find me on tumblr <a href="https://elliestormfound.tumblr.com/">EllieStormfound</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Midnight talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Geralt was woken by the sound of his name. His eyes flew open, he propped himself up on one elbow and said, “Jaskier, are you awake?” He reached with his other hand to feel the bard’s forehead. He started to blink a few times before opening his blue eyes and gasping.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geralt was woken by the sound of his name. His eyes flew open, he propped himself up on one elbow and said, “Jaskier, are you awake?” He reached with his other hand to feel the bard’s forehead. He started to blink a few times before opening his blue eyes, gasping. </p><p>“Jaskier, I am here,” Geralt said, laying his hand for a second on his friend’s cheek, before pressing it lightly on his chest, stopping the bard from sitting up.<br/>
“Geralt,” the bard said again, clutching the witcher’s hand on his chest, wincing in pain as he tried to roll his head in his direction. Geralt leaned over him, “it’s better not to move, you’ve hit your head pretty hard.” A wave of relief washed over Geralt as he saw the clear blue eyes of his bard looking up at him. </p><p>“What happened?” Jaskier asked quietly, “we went into the woods to hunt for the wolf-creature and then…,” he paused to think, “I don’t remember…” </p><p>Geralt thought about removing his hand from the bard’s chest, but Jaskier still clung to it, so he gently closed his fingers around his hand. </p><p>“I am sorry, Jaskier,” Geralt said in his deep voice full of remorse and guilt, “I should have…I was not fast enough, the warg broke loose from my grip and it…,” Geralt had to concentrate to keep the panic down that arose as he was thrown back in the moment he saw the monster running toward his friend, “it sprinted to the tree you were on and I was not fast enough to keep it from jumping… I could grip it in the last moment, but it managed to get its teeth into your leg and we all crashed to the ground and you hit your head.” </p><p>After a moment of silence Jaskier asked, “and then you killed it?”</p><p>“Yes,” Geralt replied.</p><p>The bard just breathed for a while, holding on to Geralt’s hand, as he looked into the witcher’s golden eyes. “Why are you sorry then?” he asked with the ghost of a smile, “you saved me.” </p><p>“But I let you get hurt,” Geralt said, a line of worry forming on his brow, “it is my responsibility to keep you safe. And I didn’t.” </p><p>After a moment, he asked, “how do you feel? I patched up your leg, it should heal without complications. But I think you’ve got a concussion. That’s why we are still here, you should not move for a day or two.”</p><p>“I remember now…,” Jaskier began slowly, “the warg sprinting towards me… and the crash.” Geralt’s chest felt tight with worry and guilt as he saw the bard’s eyes widen with horror at the memory.</p><p>Jaskier examined his witcher’s face. He shifted a bit, moved his right leg carefully from side to side. “My leg hurts, but not that much and I feel like I’ve been drinking for three days,” the bard said, “but I am alive, because of you.” There was gratitude and something more in the bard’s rich voice. </p><p>“You were only here because of me,” Geralt replied quietly, guilt radiating of him.</p><p>“And there is nowhere I would rather be, then by your side,” Jaskier whispered. Geralt was not sure if the bard was delirious, but he felt a wave of tenderness and gratitude towards his friend sweeping over him.</p><p>“It is in the middle of the night, you should try to sleep for a few hours more. Are you warm enough?” the witcher asked. </p><p>“It is indeed quite cold,” Jaskier replied. Geralt shifted their blankets so they covered them both and moved his body closer to him, till the shivering bard was pressed to his side.</p><p>“How long have I been unconscious?,” Jaskier asked. “For half a day,” said Geralt. </p><p>“Did you,” Jaskier continued to ask quietly a moment later, “talk to me? When I was knocked out?” Geralt just hummed, leaving Jaskier to interpret this. </p><p>“You should sleep now,” the witcher said, slightly worried by the thought of Jaskier remembering all he had told him. He was glad it was dark and that the bard had not his enhanced eyesight, because his cheeks grew hot.</p><p>“I think I remember you talking.” To Geralt’s dismay the bard would not be distracted. </p><p>“Could be a some hallucination from you being unconscious for half a day,” Geralt grunted. </p><p>“Hm,” Jaskier replied. Carefully, but with a wince he turned to the side, facing away from the witcher, so Geralt could better curl around him. The witcher sighed in relief when Jaskier, pressed against him, drifted off to sleep a moment later. He hoped the bard would not remember anything in the morning.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>Find me on tumblr <a href="https://elliestormfound.tumblr.com/">EllieStormfound</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The next day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Geralt and Jaskier being tender idiots, just like I love themn...</p><p> </p><p>"As he woke up the next morning, Jaskier was still asleep. Geralt untangled himself from the bard and the blankets and stood up, restarting the fire and getting fresh water from the stream. When he returned Jaskier was awake, eyes open and watching Geralt. </p><p>“When I just woke up and you weren’t here I thought…,” the bard began unfamiliar insecurity in his voice. </p><p>“That I left you here?” Geralt replied, “Jaskier, I will never leave you behind.” That made the bard smile.</p><p>A moment later he said, “now that I had time to think about it, I do remember you talking to me, when I was blacked out, but just bits and pieces, you know.” Geralt’s face grew unpleasantly warm.</p><p>“Are you blushing, Geralt?” Jaskier asked. Geralt just grunted and pretended to be busy rummaging in their bags. </p><p>With a soft laugh the bard asked half indignant half amused, “so after years of travelling together you finally decided to really talk to me - when I am unconscious?”  "</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am bad at naming chapters (and fics, why do they have to have names???)</p><p>I love comments and kudos and everyone who reads this mess! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he woke up the next morning, Jaskier was still asleep. Geralt untangled himself from the bard and the blankets and stood up, restarting the fire and getting fresh water from the stream. When he returned Jaskier was awake, eyes open and watching Geralt. </p><p>“When I just woke up and you weren’t here I thought…,” the bard began unfamiliar insecurity in his voice. </p><p>“That I left you here?” Geralt replied, “Jaskier, I will never leave you behind.” That made the bard smile.</p><p>A moment later he said, “now that I had time to think about it, I do remember you talking to me, when I was blacked out, but just bits and pieces, you know.” Geralt’s face grew unpleasantly warm.</p><p>“Are you blushing, Geralt?” Jaskier asked. Geralt just grunted and pretended to be busy rummaging in their bags. </p><p>With a soft laugh the bard asked half indignant half amused, “so after years of travelling together you finally decided to really talk to me - when I am unconscious?”  </p><p>“It’s not like…,” Geralt started to say. “First I was apologizing to you, and when you did not wake up I just started … talking.” Even with his back turned to him, Jaskier noticed that the witcher was uncomfortable.</p><p>“So you like talking to unconscious people?” the bard asked still with an amused undertone.</p><p>“No,” Geralt replied, “it’s not like that.” He ruffled his hair in despair, looking at Jaskier. “I could not bare the silence,” he said. </p><p>Jaskier saw hurt and fear in the witcher’s eyes. Geralt turned back to their bags, avoiding Jaskiers gaze. </p><p>“Your were worried about me,” he said softly. Geralt whirled around again to face him. The astonished tone in Jaskier’s voice pierced right into his heart.</p><p>“Of course I was worried,” Geralt replied. “You just didn’t wake up and it was too damn quiet. And I just … started to talk.” </p><p>After a moment he continued, “I thought maybe you could not resist to wake up when I was telling you something … personal and embarrassing just so you could laugh at me.” Jaskier smiled at that.</p><p>But Geralt was still worried. “But you didn’t.” </p><p>The two just looked at each other for a while. </p><p>“You know that you have to tell me everything again now that I am awake,” Jaskier said with a smirk. “You said yourself I should not move so much with my concussion, so sitting up playing the lute is not an option for now.”</p><p>Geralt grunted, “you can talk just fine.”</p><p>“I feel a headache creeping up, I think listening is better for my wellbeing than talking.”</p><p>“Oh, you should remember this wisdom for the future”, the witcher replied with a huff. </p><p>With a wicked smile the bard said, “you could start by elaborating about the … mh … I can’t quite remember … the richness of my beautiful voice, and how Valdo Marx is nothing compared to me.”</p><p>Geralt glared at him, “you seem to remember just fine.” </p><p>“Geralt,” Jaskier said, more sober. With a deep breath the witcher tried to relax his face to a more neutral expression.</p><p>“I think it helped, you talking to me yesterday,” the bard said quietly, watching the witcher closely, “it made me … feel less alone and less afraid.” </p><p>When he saw confusion in Geralt’s face he elaborated, “when I was knocked out, it was not like my mind was gone, it felt more like a weird dream, a bit scary … and hearing your voice was like an anchor.”</p><p>And after a moment, more cheerful he continued, “and there is no shame in telling your friend things. Things you like about them, share memories, tell them how you feel. That is actually a good definition of friendship.” </p><p>“Then I have been a shitty friend to you all those years,” Geralt replied, actually a bit embarrassed. Jaskier looked at him closely, “no, you just showed your affection in other ways.” </p><p>With a smile he continued, “but there is nothing wrong with trying out something new. And because my head is now really pounding, it’s your turn to talk.” </p><p>Defeated, the witcher let out a breath he did not know he’d been holding. “Okay,” he said. Jaskier had closed his eyes and smiled, petting the ground next to him. Geralt obliged and sat down. </p><p>To his surprise Jaskier reached out his hand to him, “give me your hand. My head hurts more, when I open my eyes. I need to know you are really here.” Geralt took the bard’s hand into his and said, “you are really enjoying this, aren’t you?” Jaskier just smiled and squeezed Geralt’s hand.</p><p>“Yesterday I told you,” Geralt began after a moment, “that if you would perform just one song not about fucking you would easily win against Valdo Marx in any competition.”</p><p>“But the people like my songs about the carnal pleasures”, Jaskier said softly. </p><p>“Yes, the people”, Geralt replied, “but obviously not the jury.” </p><p>“Mh…,” Jaskier replied with a frown, “when comes the part where you tell me how beautiful my voice is?”</p><p>Geralt sighed, turning his eyes to the sky. “I told you, that you are … more talented, train harder and that your voice has a greater range.” His deep voice had gotten quieter with every word and his cheeks heated up uncomfortably. </p><p>The bard hummed with joy, grinning from ear to ear.</p><p>“I remember something about the stunning richness of my voice,” he said, lightly squeezing Geralt’s hand again.</p><p>Geralt continued, barely audible, “your voice has a multilayered richness to it.”</p><p>“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Jaskier still beamed from ear to ear, “I could get used to this, you complimenting me.”</p><p>And after a moment the bard continued with a more serious tone, “but tell me, why did you say to me, when we found the Djinn, that my singing was like ordering a pie and finding out it has no filling?”</p><p>Geralt huffed, “I hate your songs, I never said anything about your voice.”  </p><p>For a minute Jaskier was quiet, still holding onto the witcher’s hand. </p><p>Then a smile started to creep up Jaskier’s face again. “So you actually like my voice”, he replied quietly. </p><p>“That was not what I said,” Geralt grunted, “I just stated facts.” </p><p>“Oh no,” Jaskier said, “no, no, no, you DO like my voice.” He chuckled in delight, “and you think I am talented. Geralt of Rivia - famous witcher, notorious for his grumpy mood, actually admits that I have to most beautiful voice. So your enhanced witcher senses are good for something, eh?” </p><p>“You talk an awful lot for someone who just moments ago told me that listening is better for their wellbeing than talking,” Geralt complained. </p><p>Jaskier still grinned. “So what do you think I should sing about?”, he asked, ignoring Geralt’s objection. “You told me in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to sing about you at competitions.”</p><p>They were quiet for a while, the bard not really expecting an answer. But then Geralt said, “Heartbreak, the colour of the sky or wildflowers or some shit like that.”</p><p>Jaskier laughed. “It is good, that I am the bard in this friendship.”</p><p>Geralt huffed, “I mean it, the only thing Valdo Marx is better at is knowing what the jury wants and giving it to them. Your problem is that you are passionate about music and Marx about winning”</p><p>“Passion should be the foundation of all arts”, Jaskier replied thoughtfully, “but I never thought about it from this angle. Thank you.”</p><p>The bard stayed silent, lost in his own thoughts. “Can I hunt us something for lunch now or do you need me to hold your hand for longer?”, Geralt said, mockingly. He would not admit aloud that he quite enjoyed holden Jaskier’s hand, the casual touch and closeness.</p><p>Jaskier squeezed Geralt’s hand one last time and let go. “Off you go. I will be right here when you return.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>Find me on tumblr <a href="https://elliestormfound.tumblr.com/">EllieStormfound</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tender idiots</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He was feeling his head, face twisted with what Geralt thought was pain. “Are you okay?”, he asked concerned. </p><p>“I must look awful!” the bard complained indignantly. </p><p>With a smirk Geralt replied, “that is really what you are worrying about?”</p><p>“Not everyone looks as dashing as you without trying,” Jaskier replied disgruntled, “I have sticks in my bloody hair!”</p><p>When Geralt did not move the bard said to him, “don’t just look at me! Come here and help me, I cannot see the back of my own head.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It seems that hair-combing/touching is officially my thing... :)<br/>I am not sure if this will remain the end of the story, but at the moment I have no further ideas... so we will see.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geralt had caught them two rabbits and when he got back to their camp, Jaskier was sitting upright, leaning against his pack and examining his injured leg. </p><p>“You feel better?” he asked.</p><p>“Everything is sore and my head is pounding and my leg is aching, but beside that, I feel just fine”, Jaskier said, smiling at him, “the sun is shining, the birds are singing and my witcher is looking to my every need.”</p><p>Geralt huffed as he prepared the rabbits.</p><p>When the witcher had finished his task and the rabbits were roasting over the fire, he turned to the bard.</p><p>He was feeling his head, face twisted with what Geralt thought was pain. “Are you okay?”, he asked concerned. </p><p>“I must look awful!” the bard complained indignantly. </p><p>With a smirk Geralt replied, “that is really what you are worrying about?”</p><p>“Not everyone looks as dashing as you without trying,” Jaskier replied disgruntled, “I have sticks in my bloody hair!”</p><p>When Geralt did not move the bard said to him, “don’t just look at me! Come here and help me, I cannot see the back of my own head.”</p><p>Geralt was torn between keeping up his facade of the disgruntled witcher, who was uncomfortable with casual touch and his newly arisen need to be close to Jaskier, physically close. Even though Jaskier’s heartbeat had returned to normal and Geralt could again feel it from a short distance away, it had soothed his strained nerves to feel Jaskier’s warm and - thank the gods alive body pressed to him or his steady pulse when he held his hand. So he sighed and rolled his eyes for show, but walked over and sat down behind him. </p><p>Geralt could not see his friend’s face but somehow knew he was smiling. Jaskier had been right, his hair was disheveled and there were small sticks, bits of leaves and dirt in his brown hair. Geralt settled his legs left and right from Jaskier’s. </p><p>“You could also talk to me again,” Jaskier said quietly and earnestly, without any mockery, maybe with a breath of hope. </p><p>“Mh,” Geralt replied, setting to the task of ridding Jaskier’s hair of the unwanted decorations. First be picked out the bigger pieces and when he started to comb through the hair with his fingers to clean smaller bits he heard a barely audible, pleasant and relaxed sigh escaping the bard’s mouth. </p><p>“Do you remember a few month ago,” the witcher began, “when you went to Oxenfurt and I went to Vizima?” He felt Jaskier nod. “I needed to buy some new clothes. Normally I go to the first stall and buy whatever clothes they have that fit me.” An amused huff escaped Jaskier. “But something must have rubbed off on me from all the times you dragged me along when you needed to buy something. So I went to three different stalls and picked out a shirt and two trousers that I actually liked.” Now the bard laughed, but without malice, just pure delight. A bit embarrassed Geralt mumbled, “I thought you’d be, I don’t know, not exactly proud, but something...but I was too ashamed to tell you afterwards.” And he was quite shocked that he did now.</p><p>“Oh, I am proud of you, my dear witcher”, Jaskier replied, squeezing Geralt’s leg for emphasis, “it is wonderful to hear that you actually did something just for your own pleasure!” </p><p>“I think I got most of the dirt out,” the witcher told Jaskier, changing the subject, “I could get water from the stream and we can wash your hair properly.”<br/>
Jaskier again squeezed his leg, “thank you, but later.” Slowly he leaned back against Geralt’s broad chest. “Is this okay? Will you sit with me for a while?” he asked him. Geralt hummed in approval. </p><p>They sat like this, Jaskier had his eyes closed, but Geralt could feel from his breathing that he was awake. Very quietly he began to talk again, “you know that you were the first person ever to ask me what I wanted. I was so irritated the first time you asked me, because my life has never been about choices.” </p><p>He knew Jaskier was listening closely, but staying silent as if not to scare the small courage away that made Geralt talk. “I remember clearly, it must have been in our first year travelling together, when you asked me about my favourite food. And I could not answer, because food had just been a necessity. I knew I enjoyed eating when I was hungry, but it was a means to an end. And a few weeks later when we were in a tavern you ordered every dish on their menu. I thought it was just one of your weird moments, but you took notice of what I liked, without me understanding what you did. And from then on you always made sure to order something to my taste when we had the opportunity to eat in a tavern.” </p><p>His nervousness of talking had dissipated. Jaskier’s head rested on his shoulder and with the distinct and familiar scent of the bard in his nose he had relaxed while talking. “You deserve to enjoy things, to be happy, that does not contradict your duties as a witcher,” Jaskier said softly. It was a simple truth and still hard to belief for Geralt. </p><p>After a while Geralt felt Jaskier’s breathing turn to a deep and slow rhythm and his body slacken with sleep, a comfortable weight on his chest. After all those years he was still shocked about the unquestioned trust Jaskier put into him. As Jaskier was starting to slip down, Geralt put an arm around his middle, holding him to his chest. </p><p>The witcher was not sure for how long they sat like this when Jaskier started to wake up again, humming contently. “Geralt, are you checking my pulse?”, he heard the bard’s confused voice. The witcher had not noticed that he was holding the bard’s wrist, lightly pressing his middle and ring finger where he could best feel the blood pumping in Jaskier’s veins. </p><p>He pulled his hand away and said sorry. With effort Jaskier shifted, so he could look the witcher in the eyes. “Are you still worried?” he asked. And even though he had been quite relaxed just a minute ago, the worry and guilt from yesterday washed over him again with a force that startled him. </p><p>“Jaskier, you nearly died yesterday,” he gasped, as if he was drowning, and more quietly, “I nearly lost you.” He felt Jaskier’s hand on his hot cheek and hearing him say, “look at me, love.” Geralt’s heart did something strange at the soft touch and the word “love”, despite knowing that Jaskier used it way more generously than anyone else. Jaskier’s bright blue eyes looked into his golden ones. “It must have been very disturbing for you to find me injured yesterday,” he said. Geralt tried to swallow, his throat suddenly too dry. </p><p>“It’s okay,” Jaskier continued. “It is not okay”, Geralt’s deep voice grumbled in protest. </p><p>“I mean it is okay to feel scared,” the bard replied. Geralt carefully wrapped his arms around his friend, pulling him into a hug and burying his face into Jaskier’s neck, deeply inhaling his soothingly familiar scent. He felt Jaskier relaxing into his arms and the bard’s hand softly caressing his neck. “All feelings demand to be felt,” the bard whispered. “I don’t like this particular feeling very much”, Geralt replied. With a soft laugh, that Geralt felt more then heard, Jaskier said, “I know, but it will pass. I am still here, you will not get rid of me so easily.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>Find me on tumblr <a href="https://elliestormfound.tumblr.com/">EllieStormfound</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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